Brother Oliver – “Improving Morale”
By: Chapman Suther
Brother Oliver tease new highs(heights) with the lead single, “Improving Morale,” from the upcoming full-length album, “Well, Hell.” The single is a dark, moody track built over a simple, but strong, drum loop and acoustic guitar hook. The drum loop begins with some reverb and echo defining the space of the track. The acoustic guitar falls in, creating a sway that continues through the whole track. Steven Oliver’s usual mandolin work is replaced here by the similar, but larger, bouzouki – giving the lead melodies a slightly deeper tone, which, combined with reverb and delay, paint a starry night sky behind the darker main hooks of the track.
The other brother Oliver, Andrew, has a strong yet comforting tone in his vocal performance, commanding attention without force. A soft delay keeps the listener following the vocal forward, giving the sense of someone speaking from down the hall, just out of sight. As the song progresses, a wistful backing vocal joins in, faintly panning back and forth as they descend, almost like wind. This track is very reminiscent of the dream-rock sound of Tame Impala or Radiohead with a pop focus of a band such as Coldplay.
The midsection of the song may be the most unexpected gift, as an affected horn peeks into the scene. The distorted and spacey sounds of a trumpet outline a new melody here before leading into a solo against a sustained tremolo note from the bouzouki. The two instruments swirl and grow together against the rhythm of the drum and acoustic guitar loop, before the whole song swells back into the final chorus section.
The band has referenced their work in “Improving Morale” as a nod to the undeniably hard work the band has put into their career in the past few years. The band has been performing consistently for several years, building their way up from coffee shops and empty dive bars, to national festivals, and even recently opening the stage for The Steve Miller Band. While there are many wins and successes in the Brother Oliver story, none come without hardship, struggle, and doubts. This message from the band’s Facebook page shows a clearer picture of the inspiration behind the song:
We’ve been doing this thing for a while now — and any musician will agree, it’s one of the most difficult career paths to take. But it’s also one of the most rewarding. Because at the end of the day it’s not a career or a job, it’s something we love to do. “Improving Morale” is a song about sacrifice and struggle, counting the losses, and pressing on for the cause. Finances, family, religion, and relationships — none made it through unscathed.
The lyrics in the piece show a hazy view of this rift between passion, love, hard work, and setbacks. Andrew sings:
“I’ve tried to find my way, and I’ve tried to find my way out.
There’s nothing left to do, for me, or you.
So the beatings will continue
Until morale improves…”
It may be hard work, but Brother Oliver makes it look easy. Stay tuned for the new album, “Well, Hell,” to be released on August 30th, 2019. Tuner Music Magazine will have a full look at the whole release at that time. Until then, make sure to see Brother Oliver at one of the following dates:
8/10/19 – New Groove Artisan Brewery – Boiling Springs, S.C. – Event
8/23/19 – Bold Rock Hard Cider – Mills River, N.C. – Event
8/29/19 – Horizon Records – Greenville S.C. – Event
Listen to Brother Oliver’s “Improving Morale” here:
